


Humans are Weird

by Lilzy



Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Fluff, Gen, I Wrote This Instead of Sleeping, M/M, Merman Kageyama, Ok bye, also tw for those who are afraid of drowning, and wrote it myself, floof?, i couldnt wait for more of this AU so i took matters into my own hands, kageyama is weak, let me know if i should continue this because i dunno man, mermaid au, no one dies or anything but i want to you guys know just to be safe, rated teen for kageyama's language, they are hopefully in character, this was basically self indulgent
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-01-23
Updated: 2017-08-23
Packaged: 2018-09-19 10:31:47
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 9
Words: 10,507
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9436244
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lilzy/pseuds/Lilzy
Summary: Kageyama's curiosity leads him to finding something orange squirming in the water.ORKageyama wonders if being curious is really worth it... It is.





	1. Humans are Difficult

**Author's Note:**

> I wrote this with really no sense of direction at all. I've always been wanting to write an AU like this that I love so here it goes. Hope you enjoy it.

Up ahead there’s a mass of orange swishing in the waters, drifting downwards slowly. Getting closer, it looks as soft as silky fish fins. He reaches out to glide his rough fingers through the orange. _Wait_ , this is not a goldfish. The bright wisps are thick strands of tangled hair. Attached to the orange is a small body, a human one at that. 

Kageyama’s eyes are wide. How had he not noticed before? Although facing away from him, he sees the pale arms and legs thrashing about continuously. Suddenly the human’s face leans back, eyes burning into Kageyama. They seem to plead for help at first but seconds later the dark pupils are searching, curious. Watching the calm stare freaks him out, more so than the human struggling. The reaction doesn’t match the situation; it churns and twists the contents in his stomach.

The small human stills moments later, eyes still focusing on the creature before him. Kageyama propels backwards, heart pounding in his chest. He finally notices what ails the human from escape. There’s a thick mass of vegetation tangling one of the legs flailing wildly. Like the boy, Kageyama is stuck, although figuratively. 

He can now feel blood pumping in his pointy ears, which blocks out the noise of the human choking on water. He glances at the boy, shaking. There has always been an unspoken rule to leave the humans alone, drowning or otherwise. But Kageyama feels more than indifferent. He’s afraid… and surprisingly curious. This human seems to calm at his presence in such a frightening dilemma. The trust is so strong that it makes him feel warm. It fills him to the brim, so he does what is forbidden.

He swims down towards the ocean life that has snarled the gagging creature now above him. Kageyama’s head tilts at the unfamiliar wiggle of toes and flex of legs that interrupt his ability to solve the predicament. Human parts are _weird_ he figures and his mind starts to wander. Eyebrows scrunched, he struggles to regain focus until an incoming foot whacks his cheek. He scowls deeply and grasps the offending limb. The boy above him seems to stiffen completely. Kageyama looks back at the vegetation and slices the plants that immediately give way, freeing the human boy.

Kageyama assumes that the small creature will push up to the surface for air, but the body just sinks further after its release. Huffing, he pushes the human legs towards the only thing possibly brighter than the smooth orange hair, the sun overhead.

One last push gets the boy above the surface, ready to gasp for air. But no breathing comes and it confuses poor Kageyama endlessly. He quickly guides the body through the bustling waves and onto the empty shore. Kageyama maneuvers as best as he can on the wet sand; it’s difficult but he finally gets the hang of it. He drags the human far enough away so the tide doesn’t touch the creature, afraid that the frail looking body will be carried away into the deep watery depths of the sea.  
  


Finally Kageyama realizes he has no idea what he’s doing. He tells himself that he did his part: the human is free. But as his eyes glance at the still body cushioned in the sand, he senses something is wrong. He wants those salmon roe-colored eyes to be open and staring back at him in wonder, not closed. There’s never been someone who looked at him like _that_. Shaking his head, he thinks back to the situation at hand.

He tries to remember everything he’s ever learned about humans from random snippets in documents he finds and what others have told him. But all he can think of regarding breathing for humans is that they breathe through their mouths? Which is why he was choking before? He peers down at the plump lips and decides he’ll use his mouth to help out this boy’s mouth. It can’t be _that_ hard.

Kageyama leans down, accidentally pressing weight onto the chest underneath him. The human’s reaction to the pressure startles Kageyama, but the boy _moved_. So he scratches his previous idea and presses down again and again. Water spills from the lips beneath him and soon the boy’s chest expands and compresses irregularly fast, but it’s _moving_. Kageyama feels a rush of victory and observes eyes fluttering open, revealing a hint of golden brown irises. Too soon, they close. The boy sleeps, exhaustion from lack of oxygen settling in.

Kageyama resolves to stay until the human is awake again, telling himself that worry is what’s keeping him there, not eagerness. He takes the time to finally get a good look at the small person. Blue eyes look up and down the sleeping being, before settling at the orange haloing the freckled face. The bright curls remind him of the ocean, beautiful yet chaotic. Kageyama stretches out to caress a fluffy tuft, surprise clear on his face because the hair is no longer damp. Kageyama has never felt something that was not wet. Was there even a word to describe _that?_

He moves on, attempting to ignore the peculiar notion. The next thing that he observes is the freckled forehead that is also not damp anymore. _What is happening?_ He trails a finger down the slope between two closed eyes that leads to a cute nose. It wrinkles a second along with the parted mouth just underneath. The movement helps Kageyama finally realize that his touches are somewhat creepy. So he retracts his fingers and clutches them in the sand, something to ground him during this unbelievable exploration.

The rounded cheeks of this human are dusted with freckles, something else Kageyama does not understand. He cautiously squishes a finger onto one of the spots and the boy fidgets, concluding that they are amusing but not harmful. Also, the skin is so soft, how does it protect him? The ears are not pointed but round and small. How can he hear out of something so tiny? Kageyama is finding so many weaknesses, but the human is quite interesting. But he’d never _admit_ it.

Kageyama assumes the articles covering the body are clothes. The garb wrapping around the legs is still damp, he observes. Before he can look at the slim legs further, Kageyama suddenly feels odd. His gills are no longer functioning, straining for moisture. He gasps for oxygen and wiggles back to the waves. Kageyama dives in and breathes deeply, feeling stupid for forgetting that his mouth only allows him to breathe on land for a short time while his gills are useless. He remains in the water for several minutes, regaining a normal respiratory pace. When his heartbeat slows down, he pokes his head above the sea. Kageyama splashes farther forwards and stills to sweep the hair out of his eyes.

When he peers back at where he left the little boy, there is just an indentation of where the body lay. _Where is he?_ Kageyama panics, splashing and swiveling to search for the human. He scans the beach, the waves before him, and… The troublemaker is sitting on a faraway rock, staring at Kageyama. Before Kageyama even scrunches his eyebrows, the boy leans forward excitedly. He looks like he’s about to fall in the tide, which is deadly against those jagged rocks.

“Don’t do that, dumbass!” Kageyama yells while swimming toward the boy.

But the little guy seems to ignore the statement, smiling brightly and somehow inclines over the water even more. Kageyama is too concerned for his safety to blush at the boy’s previous reactions when he catches him in the waves. Arms circle around his neck and the boy shifts his bottom farther up Kageyama’s tail. He’s so _close_.

“So you are a mermaid!” the boy squeals in delight. Kageyama finally is able to frown, eyes glaring at the other’s face, but quickly glances away to blush safely.

He grumbles out, “I am not a mermaid,” which is technically the _truth_ , he’s a _merman_.

In a way to get even, he pushes the tiny being off of him and into the water. A bright head of hair pops out of the foamy ripples to breathe deeply for a second and then submerges again. Kageyama follows the orange and he finds golden brown eyes staring back at him. The eyes then follow the line of Kageyama’s toned torso to his blue scaly tail. His scales glisten, reflecting light similar to ocean’s horizon.

The boy’s mouth opens instantly in wonder and he gags on the water. The merman feels déjà vu as he uses arms to nudge the human to the surface.

He hears coughing and sputtering but does not wait to sarcastically mention, “You drowned twice in a day, way to go,” at the boy.

The guy sobers up quickly at that and exclaims, “Well, look who’s the one who wasted their time saving this dumbass.” He kicks away, swimming weak but enough to get him to shore.

Kageyama follows but then realizes what he’s doing and shies away. He peeks back at the boy who is already standing up and smiling so bright; Kageyama feels warm again. He should be afraid, but this kid is so helpless that maybe he feels brave enough to ask.

“Does this dumbass have a name?” he smirks, letting his tail swish triumphantly.

The boy beams at him. “It’s Hinata, and you _are_ a mermaid.”

Kageyama groans deeply. “I’m a _merman_ , dumbass Hinata.”

Hinata laughs at that, cheeks rosy. It may be the most beautiful thing he’s ever heard, especially since dolphins are the loudest, most obnoxious things ever. And they don’t _stop_.

But he could get used to _this_.


	2. Humans are Dangerous

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kageyama is a confused fish.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> You guys seemed to like the fanfic, so I added more? Not sure what I'm doing, but it's chill. I got this.   
> Okay, so this chapter has way too many things italicized, so I apologize for that.

“So, what’s your name?” Hinata asks happily as he sprawls down in the sand facing the water, legs up in the air.

Kageyama is too busy watching lips move to process the noises that are coming out of them. He realizes this and frowns at himself. Hinata smiles and laughs, kicking his legs back and forth. They are distracting, toes are wiggling and those legs are flexing again and Kageyama is _still here_.

“You sure frown a lot,” Hinata giggles and the merman is gawking. Kageyama is caught up in every single movement the human makes. He does not understand _why_ and it’s driving him crazy. Scowling more, Kageyama splashes at the amused face. It yelps at the liquid, orange hair soaking wet and no longer sticking up messily. 

Hinata pouts and slicks his fiery locks back. _Woah_. Kageyama looks away, trying to calm down as his face burns. Humans are dangerous and not for the reasons he always thought. Judging by the way Hinata acts, it’s no wonder humans are able to do whatever they want; he’s _that_ distracting.

This helps Kageyama remember that he shouldn’t even be interacting with humans at all. So _why_ is he still _here?_

Hinata suddenly smirks. “Something wrong? I wonder what happened to the smart retort I got a minute ago?” His tone is teasing but his body language is tense, ready to fight when Kageyama replies. Kageyama huffs, not understanding the boy’s game but readies a comeback. He finds none and silently curses.

In a wave of confusing agitation the merman murmurs, “You sure smile a lot.” _Damn,_ Hinata definitely catches that because the boy perks up, mouth agape. A second later the human fumbles to his feet, but Kageyama is already swimming away, his mind screaming _abort, abort, abort._

The human slithers into the water after him. He calls out jumbles of words along the lines of _“Come Back!”_ and _“Wait, Smarty Scales!”_ but Kageyama is gone, only the foamy ocean waves left in his wake. Hinata is desperate, but gives up paddling around after a few minutes. He climbs onto a nearby rock and thinks about the unexpected response he received. And he wants _more_.

Kageyama watches Hinata lean back onto the boulder from a safe distance, he himself hiding behind a similar rock formation in the sea. It bothered him how much the boy was so comfortable and willing to interact moments before. Kageyama couldn’t help the curiosity bubbling in his brain. Is it because the other is human?

Kageyama shakes his head to suppress _everything_ , but that’s ruined quickly when Hinata starts to mumble to himself.

“I didn’t even get the chance to thank… him…” Hinata sighs and closes his eyes, lying down. His hair had flopped back onto the stony surface and was slowly curling upwards. The strands are not saturated anymore and Kageyama does not _understand_. Hinata’s eyes flutter back open to stare at the sky and he’s _glowing._ And Kageyama does not look away for once. He wants to see it all, swimming closer.

Acting upon his quick decision, the merman launches water at the unsuspecting boy and barks, “Why does your hair not stay wet?! It pisses me off.” Kageyama first hears a loud squawk in response and then warm chuckling. The human turns towards him and grins.

“It’s a concept that we call _drying,_ ” Hinata snorts.

Kageyama tilts his head and frowns. “Explain.”

Hinata peers over the edge of the rock and tugs on a lock of orange hair. “Drying is basically water disappearing because of heat.” The human sits up, and wraps arms around his skinny legs. His chin rests upon twitching knees while his mouth lets out giggles.

Head still askew, Kageyama figures it makes sense. The merman ponders for a moment, frowning deeper. He recalls a cute freckled nose, fluttering eyelashes, and flush skin against the sand. Hinata was warm earlier as Kageyama gazed at him on the shore.

Hinata chokes, gasping for breath. He struggles until it hurts. There are tears rolling down the boy’s face from coughing so much but he recovers quickly, wiping them away. “WHAT?!” he gags. _Oh crap_. And Kageyama finally gets it; he had said that out loud.

Hinata slides closer, eyes flashing and lips wobbly in excitement. Kageyama feels heated again and backs away. The boy above him looks pink and the merman _swore_ the human was _dry?_ but there’s droplets flowing down his arms.

He swims closer and points to the curious beads of sweat. “What does that mean?”

Hinata laugh sounds odd as he scratches his neck. The redness keeps spreading throughout his small body as he chuckles weakly. “It’s nothing, I’m just _really_ warm.”

Warmth stops _and_ causes water? Humans are _weird_ and difficult to figure out, but Kageyama is determined, glaring back. But the boy is uncharacteristically silent. 

The mood is slowly turning awkward and Kageyama is not sure whether he wants it to end or not. The merman aches to leave and never come back, but his brain buzzes full of eagerness. He swings his tail back and forth, cheeks and ears red as a starfish.

“…Kageyama” he murmurs quickly, finally answering Hinata’s long forgotten question. Hinata shivers and stumbles onto his feet, surprised. He declares overly boisterous, “So, it’s Bakayama, then!” The boy seems to be energized once more.

The merman quirks an eyebrow. “Oh so for you, it’s dumbass, then?” He smirks, showing teeth. The small boy pouts and plunges onto the other in revenge. They wrestle in the water, forming rippling waves. By the time they stop, the sun begins to set. Hinata looks toward the horizon and announces that he has to go.

Kageyama watches the figure ascend out of the water and waddle in the sand. He wants to ask if Hinata will ever come back, but before he can gather the courage he already gets an answer. The human is gazing at him, eyes soft, smile bright.

Hinata will be back; Kageyama knows it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I tried. Let me know if I'm doing okay? Should I keep going or am I swimming in circles?


	3. Humans are Reliable

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A little late, but I wanted to get this chapter done for Valentine's Day since I didn't have time to write a one shot. Or maybe I'll write one tomorrow.

The following day, Kageyama waits to see if Hinata will make an appearance. The downtime makes Kageyama anxious, causing him to pop in out of the water randomly after he paces back in forth under the surface. Of course, the merman doesn’t expect to see Hinata and he’ll never admit he arose in the early morning to wait for the boy just in case.

After sometime, Kageyama identifies bright orange hair belonging to the boy trudging in the sand. He’s carrying a bag with _who knows what_ in it. Hinata kicks around the sediment, arranging purposefully. He kneels to sit and takes out the haul he brought along and places them in his lap.

There are two containers; both holding a sloshy substance Kageyama determines is a liquid. He pouts at the items, lips curving downward more when Hinata finally glances up at him. The boy is clearly startled, yet tries to hide the look by coaxing the other over.

“Hey, Bakayama!” he coos teasingly. Kageyama could leave at that remark, but as per usual he’s moving up closer in order to evaluate what Hinata had packed since he’s curious (and that’s the _only_ reason). Hinata holds out one of the bottles to the figure swimming closer. It’s an offering, Kageyama guesses as he finally leaves the water to awkwardly wiggle onto the shore. But he silently refuses to accept the bottle and frowns once more.

“Why is it white?” he questions, eyes bulging at how the fluid lacks clarity.

“It’s milk?” Hinata instantly sputters, looking at Kageyama as if he’s an alien. _That’s not too far off, actually._ “It’s always like this.”

“So there isn’t just water?” Kageyama whispers in amazement. When he glances back at his acquaintance, he finds amusement in the boy’s facial features. _Oh no_. The merman is quick to fix his expression into a tight glower, just enough to hide his interest.

In order to stop Hinata’s oncoming antics that usually provoke him, Kageyama crosses the beach to the other. He snatches the ‘milk’ from the other’s intertwining legs and struggles to remove the bottle cap. A moment later, Kageyama figures out the complexity of the human bottle and successfully twists the top off. The merman flips around onto the backside of his tail and allows his back to arch while lifting the drink to his lips.

During the first sip, most of the milk spills down onto his chest, beads of white streaking the pale skin. At first Hinata laughs at the other’s lack of experience with bottles but halts when he sees the glistening torso before him. The next gulp is smoother and soon the drink is gone in the time Hinata takes to regain his breath.

Kageyama licks his lips and suppresses a small burp unsuccessfully. The whole scene is _cute among other things_ , Hinata notes, blushing pink. He angles his face towards his knees a bit, finding an excuse to cover it by grabbing his bag to take out more things. The merman places the empty bottle in the sand in order to observe the other mysterious objects.

Hinata retrieves a brown packet that smells familiar to the merman. Hinata calls them ‘meat buns,’ and Kageyama looks up at him. His glare is suspicious, unsure that the meat he consumes is the same meat that humans also enjoy. But the boy shoves the soft treat gently against his pouting mouth. The meat bun smells divine and feels plump. Kageyama knows this is a battle he’s slowly losing as he nibbles the food curiously.

It’s quite _good_ … How _dare_ Hinata present him with a delicious small meal. The merman feels outdone, defeated as he aggressively munches on the food while savoring every bite. He glances over at the little human, who is so involved with his chewing to notice Kageyama at all. The boy drowns down the milk in between mouthfuls of meat and licks his lips when finished. Kageyama has to swivel away so he can peacefully ignore the crumbs covering Hinata’s cute little face. _How annoying_.

He dares to turn back just in time to see a little pink tongue swipe the mess away, coating the area with saliva. Hinata hums happily as he collects all of the leftover trash and stuffs it away into the sack. There’s a pause in his singing when the human looks down at the merman now sprawled out comfortably in the sand. Although they have only met once before, the lingering silence between them is nice, but Hinata wants to learn more. He starts to whisper a tune again, awkwardly trying to press the other into some sort of interaction, even if it’s bickering. Hinata observes Kageyama fluttering his eyes closed, relaxing to the music. A few more minutes pass.

Hinata abruptly stops when the merman suddenly chokes. Kageyama lifts up half of his body with his arms, struggling to get up. He wheezes as he digs hands into the earth, reaching for _something_. Hinata freaks out and jumps towards him. The small boy leans over Kageyama to touch the dry skin of the merman’s side. _Wait_ , sea creatures aren’t supposed to be _dry_.

There’s more.

 _Kageyama isn’t breathing_.

Hinata flinches at the gagging noise the other makes when he drags Kageyama towards the inviting waves. The water pulls them both in, Kageyama diving in farther from the surface to breathe deeper. Hinata waits a few seconds and makes to follow the merman, finding Kageyama gasping but no longer pale.

Hinata pushes up to the surface to gather more air into his cheeks and then goes to help Kageyama. But Kageyama surprises him by recoiling away. There is fear in his eyes. _No_. This is a step in the wrong direction; this is like yesterday, where Kageyama is too nervous to share his feelings.

Hinata tries to speak, but the words just form bubbles in the water. He coughs. Kageyama gives a confused look, one Hinata is now quite familiar with. They both ascend to the surface.

“Why did you save me yesterday?” Hinata instantly rushes to ask.

Kageyama stares at the incoming tide, avoiding eye contact. “Y-you seemed helpless, weak. You were drowning.”

“A few minutes ago, you were doing the same. You’re no better than me,” Hinata announces, teeth clenched. There is fire in those eyes, enough to boil water. His mood instantly changes when Kageyama’s expresses astonishment.

“We are equals; we are friends. Never forget that…” Hinata whispers, lips curling upwards. He leans closer.

“…I’m here!” Hinata yells, toothy smile radiant. _Was that a declaration of friendship?_ Kageyama is floored, blushing. He looks down at the beaming human.

Kageyama nods, feeling _very_ warm, _again_.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you liked this chapter even though I rushed it a lot. Let me know if it's worth continuing.


	4. Humans are Embarrassing

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kageyama is starting to realize stuff, maybe? Maybe not, he's quite stupid.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wanted to finish this chapter on Feb. 20 in celebration of Haikyuu!!'s serialization/ my birthday but I started last minute and here we are 5 days later ha ha ha...

Kageyama can’t stop hearing those embarrassing proclamations in his eardrums. All throughout the rest of the morning and evening, the phrases conquer his thoughts.

_“We are friends.”_ Kageyama remembers the _look_ Hinata gave him during the admission. Lips shifting upwards in a soft smile while excited eyes command attention. The expression makes him dizzy.

_“I’m here!”_ He struggles to recollect the last time someone was… there for him.

Kageyama covers his face in scaly hands. _This is too much._ The pointy outer shells of his ears are hot, and combining with the loud pulsing of his heart, it feels like the once chilly water is now sweltering. _Hinata is too much._ The merman waded toward a dense forest of kelp to hide, even though they had parted an hour ago.

There, he is quite alone to wallow in thoughts of…? _He’s not sure, exactly. Happiness? Bashfulness?_ It’s probably _both_ , which is the _worst_. Kageyama leans his back against a thick tangled stem of kelp. He slips his tail through the sand, allowing the substrate to cover him like a blanket. The briskness of the cool sand and sea plants lower his previously warm temperature. He no longer feels the flush from Hinata’s words on his skin as he settles into a comfortable doze.

Kageyama wakes up to _“I’m here!”_ repeating like soft whispers of the ocean waves. His forehead throbs out of synch to the calm surroundings around him. The nap was peaceful, yet draining. One minute the merman is awkward, the next he’s feeling all sorts of irritation towards that freckled human. Hinata and his talking ruin _everything_ , Kageyama determines, rising up from his makeshift bed.

He’s confused as to why he decided to sleep out in the open and his body quickly answers that question, yawning. Tiredness washes over him as he glides away towards home. It doesn’t take long before he spots the familiar little cavern from a distance. 

Kageyama rushes to the entrance and slips through the narrow fracture easily. He squints, letting his eyes adjust to the darkness of the cave. Light pours in from a cavity in the ceiling, a newer feature thanks to the harsh currents that weakened the rock above. Kageyama follows the luminous beam and marvels. He’s glad that he has a piece of the sun casting sparkles along the walls of his home. It’s his single ounce of company in a sea of emptiness.

If he really thinks about it, Hinata is just like this beacon of light; super bright and opening his way into Kageyama’s life. _It’s annoying_ , but also secretly amazing. But he won’t admit that to anyone, especially Hinata.

The merman settles down onto the bedrock and blocks the glow with his hands over blue eyes. Sleep slowly overtakes Kageyama and fills his mind of orange hair and freckles. It is really not healthy to think of the human too much, but after what happened today and the overwhelming promises Hinata made, Kageyama can’t help it. 

There’s some sort of feelings developing, he knows. He can’t exactly put a finger on it, but it feels like fondness. And so far, that behavior has never worked in his favor. Kageyama wants to fight it, because the outcome always hurts; he is always left behind.

And yet, the boy’s words have Kageyama waking back up and swimming back to the surface again the next day. And Hinata is there, grin and all, spread out on the shore.

He also has a spherical object in between his petite hands. The thing is spinning quickly in his fingers, blurring red, green, and white colors together. The sphere isn’t anything special, Kageyama figures. Oh boy is he wrong.

It’s called a ‘volleyball’ and Hinata is obsessed with the thing. The entire day, the human blabs on and on about the sport, using sound effects to describe the game. Kageyama rolls his eyes when Hinata jumps up to demonstrate _who knows what_. The boy smacks the ball into the ground, puffs of sand clouding the air. They both cough, Kageyama wincing from the sand in his eyes. He dives back into the ocean and pouts at Hinata from a distance.

The human keeps showing off his spiking and jumping. Kageyama feels resentment towards this ‘volleyball.’ What happened to the peaceful, also kind of annoying Hinata who curls up in the sand and asks never-ending questions? This Hinata is even _louder and irritating_ , which he thought was quite _impossible_.

Thinking about it now, Kageyama realizes he was stupid to assume that.

This ‘volleyball’ is going to ruin _everything_. He’s not exactly sure what _everything_ entails, but Kageyama knows he has lost complete attention from Hinata. While the merman continues to flip out in the water, Hinata yells and explains his actions about bumping the ball repeatedly against his outstretched arms. Then the human turns towards Kageyama and grins.

The smile turns into a smirk rather quickly; Kageyama slightly cowers at the sight of lips expanding mischievously. Hinata throws up the volleyball high and then bounces to slam down the ball with his palm. The volleyball meets the ocean with a loud _sploosh_. The waves slap against the round surface, drifting the object toward Kageyama.

He impulsively bats it away roughly with his tail, shooting the ball up in the air. And suddenly Hinata is there, reaching up high, eyes bright. The small body pulls back, muscles contorting, swinging at full power.

_Smack_. The sound resonates through the salty air. Hinata lands, slides a bit in the sand and glances up, still in spiking position. His pupils are like _fire_. Kageyama’s mouth is open, awestruck at first, but now he can’t help the smile forming. It interrupts the usual frown.

Volleyball is _incredible_ ; The small boy _flew_.

_Maybe this Hinata isn’t too bad after all_.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading. Continue?


	5. Humans are Huggers

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kageyama, it's only been five chapters and you're already attached. I made you so sappy, I'm sorry.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> OK SO FIRST: I'm so sorry! I have been so busy at work. Since I last updated I've been promoted and so I spend almost 40 hours every week at work which is way more than I used to. I've even been overtime a couple of weeks so whoops. So for about a month I completely forgot about writing and stuff. And the past month I've been attempting to write but I keep getting blocks because honestly I'm not used to writing out this kind of content. I can write crack but that stuff is never serious and isn't too hard to me? Also, dad's been on me about getting a better job and stuff so I've just not had time to write or I just kept putting it off. I apologize. I promise to do better in the future. 
> 
> TLDR: I'M SORRY I'VE BEEN DYING AT WORK; I'LL TRY TO WRITE MORE OFTEN. ALSO, I'M SORRY FOR HOW SHORT THIS IS AHHH.

Kageyama has always liked his tailfin. It helps him swim quickly and now he knows it’s great for tossing the ball to Hinata. _But…_

He watches Hinata’s powerful legs spring up from the sand in order to spike the oncoming volleyball. The boy can play volleyball so easily with such amazing agility, he figures. The water sloshes against where the incoming ball lands in the ocean. Kageyama watches as the ripples in the surface touch around his fins. 

The merman stares at his tail, feeling unsure in his own skin. It’s _unfair._ Sure, Kageyama can keep up in the water fine enough, but he still feels inadequate. Volleyball is played on a court on land, not in the water. And because of this, Hinata is _beating him_ , which is _horrible_.

He feels satisfaction that he can connect to Hinata through volleyball, but there is still a rift between them. Not only does the sandy shore stand in his way, but so does his own _body_. 

Kageyama frowns and ignores the annoying calling of his name repeatedly in favor of sulking silently. He dips back into the water, the chilly aqua relaxing him. Suddenly, he feels warmth on his tail. The merman looks down and sees the shimmering pattern of rough scales interrupted by a small hand.

“Do you like volleyball?!” a voice proclaims in the waves. Hinata’s eyes are bright, buzzing with energy, accompanied with soft smile. The guy leans in close, so much that Kageyama has his eyes crossed in order to see him clearly. There he goes, being overwhelming _again_. 

Kageyama feels like he’s choking and tries to answer with a weak “y-yes,” but all that comes out is muffled gasp. That same small hand is still there and now travels further up his tail. The fingers climb slowly up his side and leave a trail of heat in their wake. They make the water feel warm, but it’s _weird_ , because Kageyama _shivers_. Hinata barely notices his friend’s reaction while rambling about how “of course you like volleyball,” and “you’d be stupid if you didn’t,” and “it’s okay actually, you’re dumb anyway.”

The last comment wakes the merman up from whatever universe he’s in. Kageyama scowls and pulls at the unruly, dare he say _soft_ , orange hair tickling his ear. The action starts out violent, fingers twisting and pulling but moments later, he’s petting Hinata. Kageyama is not sure _how_ it happens, but who really cares at this point? _Not_ him, that’s _who_.

Meanwhile, the human slides onto his lap fully, hands sliding against scales and up tanned shoulders. Hinata shimmies even closer. Kageyama feels arms and hands rubbing in circles across his back.

“A-are you trying to kill me?” Kageyama mutters against Hinata’s hair, nuzzling his nose into orange fluff. He feels Hinata puffing out his cheeks and huffing dramatically. The human shifts slyly towards a pointy ear, a smirk on his lips.

“No, Bakayama!” he squawks aloud while squeezing the other boy tightly.

Kageyama wheezes. “What is this then?” He gestures slightly to freckled arms linked against his back while fidgeting to loosen the surprisingly strong hold.

Hinata looks up at his friend in awe while aggressively keeping Kageyama between his biceps. “This is a hug, you weirdo… Oh my gosh do your kind not hug?!” the boy shouts as the merman attempts to cover his ears.

“No, you dumbass!” Kageyama hisses and looks away. “This is too much, t-that’s all” he whispers, ears red. _Dammit_. He glares at the volleyball a few paces away, afloat and moving towards land with every struggling movement the two boys make. So it’s basically almost there.

Hinata frowns, but notices the full body blush the other is sporting. He leans into Kageyama’s neck and giggles, “oh… I get it. I’m sorry.” Suddenly leaving it at that, he vaults off into the water, after the ball. And Kageyama is right there with him, his face a deep crimson.

As the two bicker about who should get to touch the volleyball first, the merman recalls those moments just a few days ago when Hinata said they were equals, _friends_. Hinata was right. They were a rag-tag team, but nevertheless the two had _something_ and Kageyama wasn’t going to let anything get in the way of him and volleyball, and by extension, Hinata.

Besides, not a minute later, Hinata offers up an idea of how Kageyama could travel on land, but it sounds  _stupid_.

Stupid enough to _work._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> What shenanigans will these two create next?! Next time, we'll found out (even me, I have no idea).  
> More fluff with no plot but I promise there will be some? BUT YOU PROBABLY SHOULDN'T TRUST ME?!
> 
> Thanks so much for reading if you have any ideas leave a comment or come talk to me on tumblr.  
> Username's lilllieeh.
> 
> Also I wanted to finish this chapter tonight because HA IT'S 4/20 GUYS (for only five more minutes).


	6. Humans are Adventurous

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> ♪ ♫ ♬ Hinata wants to show Kageyama the worldddd ♪ ♫ ♬
> 
> OR 
> 
> The chapter contains just the usual antics. Nothing new.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Heyyyyyy guys after another month I'm back. I'm sorry I am super dumb and slow at writing and it takes so much motivation and quiet to get me to finish each chapter. Anyways, I NEEDED to post a chapter for Hinata's birthday because he deserves it and so do you!

Seeing beyond the shore is _breathtaking_. Although Hinata is out of breath pulling heavy cargo as Kageyama lay (uncomfortably he might add), he feels dizzy compared to the boy in front of him.

He’s so overwhelmed with the swishing of tropical trees that eventually gives way to coniferous leafy giants. The ground beneath is dark and muddy browns, so unlike the beach sand. The soft breeze brings orange leafs with it, colors muted against the bright orange of Hinata’s hair. The thought makes the merman blush so re-adjusts himself as a distraction.

Earlier in the day Hinata had approached him, dragging something that trailed lines in the sand. It was a deep red, loud and squeaky, like the redhead pulling it along. Four circles (wheels) and a long silver neck (handle) were attached to its body. As Hinata moved closer, Kageyama noted the form was hollowed out at the top, a shallow cavern. His eyes met with the other boy’s. Kageyama narrowed his eyes in suspicion mixed with confusion. Hinata snickered.

“TA DA!” Hinata motioned towards the object by his side enthusiastically.

Kageyama tilted his head and swam up closer. “Okay?” he said, unsure.

The human pouted, pondering for a moment. Kageyama, as usual, was too impatient to wait for Hinata’s brain to catch up with his body. Casually, he started to manipulate the seawater with his tailfin, creating jumbled waves to converge together into Hinata.

He was soaked, shirt stuck to his chest and hair the flattest Kageyama had ever seen it. It was a sight to _see_. Hinata now at an unusual advantage, spewed water that had gathered into his mouth back at his friend. Before Kageyama could react accordingly, Hinata waded into the ocean toward him. The red thing was with him.

Water pooled into the cavern of the red object as Hinata yanked it through the shallows. The thing was sinking quite quickly, yet Hinata fought hard to keep it afloat. Kageyama had no idea what was going on and the human was not even explaining the weird situation at all. _But it was okay_.

The human looked really silly but _good_. His muscles tightened to hoist the hunk of metal upwards while his tongue stuck out and licked lips in concentration. This was about how it usually went, if Kageyama was being honest. Hinata gets excited, does something dumb and Kageyama just _stares_. The merman determined this could be a human thing, to be stupid and charming, but he’s certain it’s just a _dumbass thing_. Either way, Kageyama observed Hinata push forward only to turn around, meeting the shore once again.

“Kageyama come sit!” Hinata sing-songs while he patted the red interior, splashing the water inside. The merman finally gets what’s going on and instantly stills. He’s supposed to fit in _that_. _No way that’s happening now or ever_. He scrunched his eyebrows more, if that’s even _possible_.

“No idiot, I’m not going to sit in that while you pull me along,” he groaned and turned his head away from Hinata. Kageyama reminded himself to stay strong, even when the boy started to whine.

_And yet…_

Those bright brown eyes and pleading look have him weak. One minute Hinata was blabbering about how he was _so excited to go on adventures with_ _Kageyama_ , the next minute the merman is here in this thing called a wagon? And Hinata is in fact pulling him along. _Damn_.

Kageyama focuses back on the current situation. Hinata is still huffing and puffing to an uneven rhythm as he hauls the wagon, fighting to keep going. Kageyama sees the rapid gulps of air glide down the human’s throat, not matching their slow pace at all. Hinata is exhausted, but the guy is determined.

In every instance of conversation, Kageyama slips in that a break is needed. The boy shakes his head quickly to each offer.

_Gosh this dumbass is going to die and it’ll be my fault._

It doesn’t take long before Kageyama finds a good excuse to curb Hinata’s stubbornness. A mention of volleyball is all it takes before Hinata is all up in his face, energy somehow back and in full force.

Kageyama feels warm when Hinata gets close and imitates spiking to tell the merman about how he saw an older kid do this one _amazing_ move that was so _gwah._ Kageyama is instantly jealousy but pushes that away for now. He wants to enjoy this new atmosphere with Hinata without thinking about those _feelings_ he’s been constantly ignoring.

They find a spot in the shade of an older pine tree. The green blades of grass cover the ground and appear soft to the touch. Kageyama wants to test that theory. He reaches down over the wagon and ruffles the grass, twisting the green through his fingers. His first thought is that it doesn’t compare to Hinata’s hair, which he has been lucky enough to touch in their time together. He blushes again and feels his ears heat up.

When Kageyama leans back up to rest fully in his travelling tub, swishing the water inside, Hinata gasps loudly for an unnecessary amount of time. “YOU TRICKED ME!” he yells, cheeks puffed and red with fists clenched up over his head.

The merman can only chuckle at the antics before him. “I didn’t do anything” he muses. Hinata leans way too close, hands pressing onto the edges of the red wagon, close to slipping into the warm water. There is a momentary pause before the antics continue. “You know you can’t play volleyball properly without enough space to move around” he explains, eyes squinted. There is another pause, and the merman assumes the accusations are over until… Hinata flutters his eyelashes. “Kageyama-kun just wanted to stop where we were going to spend some alone time with me, huh?” Hinata croons.

Kageyama searches for a victorious answer. Teasing is fun but he aims to _win_.

 _Ah yes_.

“Maybe I do,” Kageyama admits with a smirk.

 _Finally_ , after all the endless bickering and messing around they’ve done today, Hinata’s cheeks are ruddier than his hair. The deep colors clash against each other, which is comical enough, yet brown eyes avoiding meeting his own is a mostly new thing. Something Kageyama finds he severely dislikes. _His_ Hinata isn’t shy.

 _Wait. His Hinata?_ The merman shakes his head. He’s going to continue ignoring that thought for now. Kageyama shifts to face his friend and studies him closely.

Hinata bites his lip while Kageyama glares at the side of his face. Hinata twists his fingers together and coughs to hide his red face. Just as Kageyama’s about to ask his friend what’s wrong, Hinata bends down and grabs the wagon handle. He turns quickly and silently yanks the mermaid forward.

“Let me show you the town. _There’s other people there_ ,” Hinata hastily breathes out.

“I’d rather not,” Kageyama grunts. They pass by a salt-water lagoon separated by a reef that Kageyama had visited before. He wiggles in the wagon to get his friend’s attention, liquid sloshing everywhere. Hinata glances back and sees the lack of water in the vessel. They instantly head for the salted shallows, Hinata’s face full of worry. He’s making all sorts of anxious noises, which Kageyama admits is ideal compared to silence.

Kageyama plunges into the water and chuckles after the water smoothens from landing. It’s silly, but he figures Hinata had somehow forgotten he was a creature of the sea. This little scare brought him back to reality. He can see in wide brown eyes that he remembers; Kageyama should avoid other humans. Hinata smiles a little brighter and giggles too. His idea was stupid.

All is well. After some light-hearted arguing they decide to secretly visit Hinata’s house, because Kageyama unwillingly confesses his ample curiosity (and Hinata totally convinces him with meat buns for dinner). Kageyama is just glad Hinata is acting like a dumbass again and that’s _it_.

Kageyama’s not weak for the guy, _at all_.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading! Expect another chapter by this time next month unless I stop being ridiculous and get to work!  
> (Also, I rushed this, so sorry if there are grammatical errors. Also: I love commas.)


	7. Humans are Oblivious

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> But so is Kageyama?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Honestly still don't know where this story is going oops. I'm just glad I'm posting another chapter. I can't believe it's been a month since I last updated. I'm really good at procrastinating oh my god forgive me. (Also I feel unsatisfied with this chapter overall, I'm sorry)

“Look, there it is,” Hinata, the self-proclaimed  _tour guide_ _,_  cheers when he points at a dwelling in the distance. The building stands a small stretch away from the sandy beach. Kageyama glances at the place of interest. The small home is a soft rosy pink with pale trim accents complete with a white painted porch. It sits within a sparse neighborhood of other equally colorful-looking houses. Kageyama knows there are people in every single one; he instantly lowers down a little in the wagon, eyes darting around.  

Hinata feels the wagon shake from the anxious merman shifting behind him. He turns around. Flashing a grin, the boy states, “it’s okay Kageyama-kun, people are usually in town or at the beach right now. No one will pay attention to us!” 

 _Yeah, right_ _. There’s no way anyone could even attempt to ignore you. I can’t even do it._   

The merman frowns deeply, face scrunching up.  _Stop that_ _, brain_ _._   

It takes Kageyama too long to realize they’re moving again, a sluggish pace compared to earlier. It’s almost like Hinata  _wants_  them to get caught. He grumbles, but relaxes a little when Hinata twists towards him and giggles about how funny he looks. After a moment the merman looks back up and watches Hinata wildly gesture towards different plants and houses, explaining them quickly in order to move onto the next thing. Kageyama will never admit he’s too busy staring at his friend to even remember half of what his  _tour guide_  said. 

They finally make it to the porch without being seen, even though the beach is right nearby and  _full_  of people; children playing in the water, parents keeping watch, adults sunbathing, people just  _everywhere_. A few shifted towards the two but did not notice the peculiarity of the situation, nonetheless a scaly tail draped over the cart. The onlookers just shrugged and turned away, curiosity easily lost. Kageyama could have performed a song and dance and they wouldn’t have blinked an eye. 

Hinata heaves the wagon up the stairs, huffing and puffing when he makes it up those five painstaking steps. The boy pulls Kageyama to the door and brandishes a key. Moments later, they are both inside.  _That wasn’t so bad_.  

Sneaking into Hinata’s house is more difficult than actually crossing the neighborhood. Within seconds of the door closing shut, they both hear an excited shriek octaves above Hinata’s coming from a room down the hall.  _Crap_.  

“Natsu, stay where you are,” the boy warns loudly. There’s a silence before the door bursts open and a little human is running full speed toward them.  

Hinata rushes down the hall with Kageyama right behind. Water sloshes onto the ground in their wake, evidence of their whereabouts left while they flee.

Entering a room, Hinata pulls Kageyama inside. The boy wastes no time sidling the wagon up against a white object. He scoots and reaches for the unknown thing hanging above.  _Squeak, squeak_ , and there’s watering flooding into the large white basin. Kageyama licks his lips as he observes the rushing liquid flow and feels the steam against his skin. He feels refreshed, although he hadn’t realized how dry he was until this moment. By the time Hinata was stretching to push him into the water, Kageyama is already eager and open armed, welcoming the water trickling at his skin.  

It feels nice, being in this new  _tub_. It’s not as cramped as the wagon which means he can adjust himself without worrying too much about losing any water. Also, Hinata taught him how to use the  _faucet_ , so he can adjust the temperature of dispensed water  _which is definite_ _ly the most amazing power ever._  

What isn’t nice is how he can hear the loud conversation outside the closed bathroom door: 

“Shouyou! Where did you go?!” she bellows and pouts, climbing him like a tree while squealing. Kageyama can instantly hear the similarity in her voice, even through the closed door. The girl also has bright orange hair, freckles, and everything; a carbon copy of Hinata. The seconds had been short, but he saw her before they entered the room of refuge.  

Once the young girl eyes him, he’ll be done for, he just knows it. So for now, the merman hides; Kageyama is not ashamed to hide from a little girl (he is).  

But the door bursts open, and  _it’s too late_. 

Natsu is right in front of the tub, staring. Hinata is behind her, yelling. She maneuvers herself while Hinata fights to cover her eyes as he grabs her. He’s unsuccessful, Kageyama knows, because he hears a soft gasp die in her throat. Their eyes meet and Kageyama is reborn. Not only does Natsu  _look_  like her brother, she is  _cute_  like him too. Seeing them together smiling is going to be Kageyama’s new favorite thing.  

 _And that’s another thing he’ll never say out loud…_  

“Shou, who is your friend?” the little one asks, now peering down at the very obvious scaly tail attached to Kageyama’s torso. She tilts her head, while the boys are too nervous to think of a quick reply. “Fish,” she mutters under her breath while scrambling away from her brother. She rushes over, giggling. 

“He’s a fish?” she squeals, leaning over the edge of the tub. She then looks at Hinata, who looks at Kageyama. His eyes are piercing. For once, the merman trusts Hinata to not ruin this… 

“Yes, he’s a fish but he’s a secret so don’t tell anyone!” Hinata rambles.

“Not even mommy?!” Natsu questions with a trembling lip.

“Not even  _mommy_ …” Hinata nods.

Kageyama wishes he imagined those words falling from plump lips, but Natsu’s eyes are wide.  _Nope, it’s all real._ He quickly tucks his tail fin back into the tub and stutters. “H-hi… Hin-” The merman has no idea what to say. His eardrums ring violently, buzzing  _Dumbass Hinata_  repeatedly throughout his head. Teeth clenching, he holds his breath and glances at the older sibling for help.  

“D-dumbass,” Kageyama scolds. Brown eyes roll to peer at the little girl trying to invade the tub. Hinata snaps out of his temporary coma at the usage of adult language. He definitely gives Kageyama a warning look before he pulls Natsu into his arms. Hinata will forgive him for the profanity later, especially since Natsu was too busy entranced by the fact that Kageyama opened his mouth to pick up his lingo. 

She still watches him until her brother carries her away. The girl shrieks for the merman, calling out to him. “I want to see Mr. Fish!” Her crying is heard throughout the house. And finally, after several minutes of continuously muffled wailing, the house is quiet.  

A moment later, Hinata peers into the bathroom once again, this time his arms free. He smiles awkwardly and itches his neck. “Aha, sorry about that, I kinda forgot about Natsu… but she won’t say anything because I convinced her she was dreaming.” 

“How’d you do that?” Kageyama quirks his eyebrow. He doubts any kid would keep quiet about this kind of situation… 

“Ummm… Some of us–actually–most of us humans don’t think merpeople are real… Although we find them interesting” Hinata admits softly as he walks into the room. Kageyama is sure he imagines the wink the boy gives him. 

“Oh,” Kageyama replies quickly.  _That explains a lot._  Kageyama wonders if Hinata– 

The merman shakes his head.  

He suddenly feels water splash into his face and hears the human boy snicker in victory. Somehow the guy had snuck closer to the bath while Kageyama was lost in thought. While Hinata laughs, he counterstrikes. A moment later, Hinata is soaked and in the tub with him.  _Oh no._  

It doesn’t matter anyway. Hinata is  _his_  friend.  

And that’s enough,  _right_?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh yes, I noticed that this fic has over 1,000 hits and over 100 kudos! I'm so flattered that people actually read this train wreck of a story. Thanks so much for all the support! I love comments, so don't be shy to talk to me! Even if it's just about Kagehina. I could talk all day about them. If you wanna chat on tumblr, I'm Lilllieeh on there. Ok bye.


	8. Humans are Confusing

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kageyama finally does some thinking but he's an idiot, so will it help? Who knows.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> SURPRISE. I UPDATED. HA I'M SURPRISED TOO. I decided to try this method where I try writing a bit everyday so yeah.

_It’s not enough._  

Kageyama can’t stand the constricting feeling in his chest anymore. If he were back near the shoreline, it'd be easier to cope. But here in the Hinata home, there is no reprieve from the warm, bright sunny smiles Hinata gives constantly which all make Kageyama’s heart squeeze.

And he’s only been here an hour, and the two teenagers have spent it splashing at each other in the tub.  _Which is dumb_ (it was Hinata’s idea, obviously) and yet here they are  _still doing it._  Kageyama voices his opinion on that matter and Hinata responds by sticking out a pink tongue. Kageyama mimics him. 

They both face each other and lean in, in order to see who backs out of the challenge. Kageyama perseveres, eyes taking in the tufts of orange hair against flush skin spattered in freckles. Long lashes surround concentrated amber eyes that have a fire in them. Kageyama is no match. He slowly falters and peers down at his lap. 

Hinata appears distraught, mouth open and eyes lazy. Kageyama feels warm suddenly and senses the full body blush that begins to envelope his skin as Hinata stares.

 _What just happened?_ Kageyama relents in order to glance away and sulk in a corner of the basin. He needs to sort out his feelings, he figures, even if he doesn't want to. 

Kageyama can't deal with his emotions like this, Hinata can tell from the merman's body language that he wants time to stew and collect his thoughts. The boy may be blunt and loud, but he understands personal space (even if just a teeny tiny bit). He sighs dramatically and stands. He slips out of the tub, towels off, and strips off the wet shirt clinging to his body. In the corner of his eye, he watches Kageyama turn absolutely scarlet.  _Oops_.

 _Run_. Before he yells, _or dies_. 

Hinata is out of there within seconds; door slamming shut behind him. He yells through the door that he’s going to pick up some meat buns from a food truck on the beach. Only a minute or so away. The front door shuts. 

There is only silence; Hinata is gone and Natsu is asleep.

Finally, Kageyama can relax. He attempts to focus on examining his symptoms: warm cheeks, jittery hands, excessive use of insults, and a racing heart. It's all familiar to when he plays volleyball, yet he feels this way when he sees the orange haired dumbass! 

Whatever it is, it’s  _stupid_. 

This feeling is probably a disease humans spread around to innocent creatures like himself! The nerve of that dumb, beautiful boy... He'll probably  _die_  of stupidity now. Or whatever he caught from his (sick?) friend. 

With Hinata gone, he’s not sure what to do with himself. Sitting in this tub is starting to get boring. Kageyama supposes the coast is clear; he should be able to leave the bathroom. He guesses he'll find out either way.

The wagon is still nearby the basin, so he reaches towards it. Fingers graze the red surface and pull. The water faucet is on, running water into the wagon.  _Success_. 

Kageyama boosts himself up and slides into his portable home from earlier. Dipping forward, he hopes for some momentum to get the cart rolling. Alas, that volleyball obsessed brain of his did not think this through... The grouted tile isn't helping at all, keeping the wheels stuck in place. Well, Kageyama would rather bore to death than look silly in the wagon when Hinata returns, so he climbs back into the pearly white chamber.

A nap would be great, he reasons. He lays back down and relishes the feeling of slightly chilled water, especially in this summertime heat. The merman thinks of sunshine and freckles; he dreams the same: laughter and smiles, the softness of a hug, ruffling hair. All nice things, dreaming Kageyama confirms.

 

* * *

 

 

Something pokes at him roughly; Kageyama wakes up to find a smirking Hinata.

“Aww, Bakageyama! Your sleepy face is SO cute,” Hinata coos. He flashes his pearly white teeth and holds up a brown bag. “I gotcha something, _Mr. Fish_.” His tone is teasing, emphasized with a wink. Kageyama can only swat the boys face away in retaliation while grabbing at the paper bag. 

“Give me the meat buns, you shrimp–ah come on!” Kageyama pushes up to reach the food hanging above him, but his slick body slides down against the wet tub. He changes his approach by pulling Hinata’s arm down with him, causing the human to fall forward.

Hinata catches himself with one hand against the tub, bent legs touching the white surface. Their faces are close, breaths huffing, eyes focused on the other.

Kageyama feels his torso lean in, neck craning to get closer. Hinata flutters his eyes until they close softly. The merman’s brain finally catches up to his body and he stills. He’s burning up, watching Hinata purse his lips and nervously shake. 

 _Oh_.

_He doesn’t…_

“Hinata, um, I forgot. I–I need to go back to the ocean… I f–feel sick. It’s the water, I think! So, could you p–please?” Kageyama hides the hurt on his face by moving, shifting uncomfortably multiple times.

The excuse is valid enough because Hinata doesn’t notice Kageyama stuttering or blushing in shame. The boy is already hauling Kageyama back into the wagon and rushing them out the door. Kageyama hears a woman calling out for them, but Hinata ignores her and gets them out.

If this was a normal perfectly good day, Kageyama would say the salty air was overwhelmingly nice; but today was not so. 

He can already feel  _tears_ trailing down his face.  _Oh no_. He hides in his hands while Hinata gets them to the shoreline that’s a little less crowded. Kageyama is thankful for that. He doesn’t even care about people seeing him anymore. He’s scared that they might, or  _Hinata might_ , notice his red eyes full of water. 

Meanwhile, Hinata mutters about how Kageyama  _better live or he’s_ _gonna be so mad_  and blabbering about how he didn’t know bath water was bad,  _I’m_ _sorry!_

Kageyama feels horrible but he needs to leave  _now_. Hinata looked so uncomfortable and bothered by what was about to happen in that bathroom. He can’t be around Hinata anymore. He’s ruined their entire friendship with these  _feelings_.

The wagon tips over suddenly. Kageyama senses salt water on his fingertips and dives into the ocean. He doesn’t turn around when Hinata calls out to him.

“Wait up, Kage–”

Kageyama hears no more. And he doesn’t look back.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So yeah, Kageyama is a confused boy who doesn't understand his feelings but he knows something is up.  
> Oh yeah, and angst, something I NEVER write. But I decided to try because it's more realistic than everything working out perfectly, y'know?
> 
> Talk to me here or on Tumblr if you want!


	9. Humans are Wonderful

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kageyama is still a confused boy, but Hinata will help him out.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys! This is the last chapter of this story! I'm thinking I might create oneshots for this au in the future so don't be too mad at me for not dragging this on longer. Also, I have a made a blog where I'm going to start posting more stuff related to my writing. I also have a surprise there if you wanna check that out (it's a link to a site that will help motivate me to write more oneshots of this au). The blog is @lilllieeh-writes

No matter how fast he swims, the splashing behind him continues, his pursuer seemingly unfazed by how far ahead the merman is. Kageyama can feel his heart racing, thumping loudly in his ears. The beats slightly mask the gurgling shouts coming from the ocean’s surface. He ignores them, even if his ears are straining to hear every word. 

Ahead, there is a forest of seaweed to hide in. Kageyama surges forward faster. As they swim away from the shore, the water gets deeper and the sandy seafloor disappears. The sporadic splashes that follow him from above are farther than fewer in between. It’s a good (bad) sign. He is almost free… _Of what?_  

Kageyama is almost there,  _almost there._  Even if Hinata isn't the type to give up, he’s a human. They can't swim forever, he thinks. And it’s not like it’ll be easy for them to be together anyway. They’re separated by shore and sea. It will never work.

He makes it to the plant life successfully, threading himself through the messy vegetation. Kageyama waits, expecting to hear Hinata struggling in the water, but there is only silence. Hinata isn’t here, annoying the hell out of him trying to pull at his tailfin or splashing water into his face. Missing that will be tough.  _What?_ _!..._

_W_ _ait, why am I_ _surprised?_ _And why_ _am I regretting this?_

They're barely even friends, and definitely nothing more. The repulsed reaction from Hinata minutes ago was obvious enough. It will never work.

_This is for the best._

 

* * *

 

Hinata can't see him through the salty water. He wades slowly, tired from running and swimming after Kageyama. It’s no use… Kageyama is probably far away by now. He'll never see him again. 

They've been through very little together in comparison to the time before they met, but Kageyama is unlike anyone he's ever known in his life. He could even say the chemistry between them extends beyond volleyball. And for Hinata, that says everything. Letting the other slip away was not a part of the plan. There’s a spark, he knows it.

Searching for Kageyama might be difficult, but he wouldn't have it any other way. He dives under, sensing for any movement nearby.

 _Ah ha_.

 

* * *

 

Still nothing. The weight in his chest grows while lingering in the tangling plants. Kageyama hears thunder and peers up at the sky, a clear soft blue with wispy clouds. It’s a beautiful afternoon, yet the rumbling continues. He senses the pain gathering onto his wrinkled forehead that releases another clattering strike. 

The merman brings up scaly palms to his face, trembling. He finally realizes there’s a frown on his lips. His lungs heave, jagged breathing erupting through his body and into the sea. Bubbles quickly form and scatter as he curls himself up to hide.

 _I’m_ _…_ _crying?_ _Merpeople_ _can’t even cry, stupid._ _Please stop._ Kageyama pleads inside.

 _Hinata isn’t coming to help you._ _You ran._  Kageyama must disgust him so much, the orange haired boy gave up. Or? Did Hinata even try? The merman was just imagining the concerned shouts this whole time. How sad.  _Stop._

Kageyama ‘hears’ the ‘shouting’ again.  _How_ _pathetic._

“Kageyama!”

_That sounded real_ _…_

Kageyama turns away from the direction the voice echoes out. Shuddering, he clenches his teeth and covers his ears. He needs to accept it. Hinata doesn’t–

“Kage–yama?!” Kageyama crouches lower. His brain is making this all up, he–

A hand clutches his arm tightly. It pulls him up and all he can see is orange. It swishes, just like he remembers. Kageyama touches the strands, fingers ensnared in the hair. He glances down into slowly closing amber eyes. They’re soft looking, content. 

Suddenly the small grip releases their hold to thrash in all directions. Kageyama is familiar with this maneuver. This time he knows what to do

The merman stills spazzing arms and legs to hold Hinata, enjoying their closeness while he can. Wiggling his fin, Kageyama surfaces with the boy in his arms and carries him to a nearby rock. He lays Hinata down, arranging him comfortably so breathing comes easily. The human chokes up water, spilling it down his chin. His breathing settles down as he watches Kageyama intently. The merman stares at Hinata’s fingers resting inches from his own.

Kageyama is about to escape from this awkward situation when the boy speaks suddenly:

“If all else fails, my horrible swimming always catches your attention, Bakageyama,” Hinata says confidently for someone who almost died  _again_. 

“You’ve always got my attention,” Kageyama mumbles. Unexpectedly, his audience catches the quip. 

Hinata chuckles. “Good, I like it that way, as much as I like you,” he whispers. A blush appears along with dreaded trembling Kageyama remembers seeing from the bathroom. 

 _Oh no_.

Kageyama pushes to dive away, but fingers slip between his. He goes rigid as the fingers tighten their grip. The air around him is super humid suddenly. It must be from the surrounding warm air combined with the water dripping down his skin. The trickling liquid urges him to shift, clumsy yet careful enough to stay on the rock. His skin burns.

Out of the corner of his eye, he can see Hinata’s intense stare. Kageyama avoids his gaze as Hinata ogles the merman’s toned muscles and shining blue scales that match stoic eyes. The merman closes and opens his mouth, attempting to process  _everything_.

The awkward pause finally breaks. “But that’s not the same  _like_ _,_ ” escapes out of thin frowning lips. Hinata squints his eyes and props himself up with pink elbows, careful to keep their hands linked together. 

"So, are you actually stupid?" The red head laughs. 

Kageyama reverts back to how he handles questions like that, the only way he knows how: tugging orange furls with his free hand. He’s so eager, even if Hinata only likes him a little. As friends. He can leave happy.

Speaking of which, he clenches his grip in the orange mop so Hinata will let go. But Hinata just seizes him with his other hand. The human jerks his friend forward. 

"I am not an idiot, d-dumbass," Kageyama murmurs, face red. The human gently lets go of sweaty fists to brush fingers up tanned shoulders, scooting forward carefully. Kageyama is too rattled by the insult and the  _like_  ringing in his head, missing Hinata’s advances.

Hinata smirks and tilts towards a heated, pointy ear. "Prove it.” 

He hears a muted gulp throb the merman’s flushed neck as he encloses forearms around it. Hinata hangs on when Kageyama instinctively moves back, realizing his palms are finally liberated. Kageyama stops, giving Hinata the chance to sneak onto his lap. 

The boy cranes his upper body until their faces are level. He almost slips off, but Kageyama holds him tightly by the hips. They both grin nervously, noses almost touching.

“T-thanks,” Hinata sighs.

Kageyama can’t help it. He peers down at Hinata’s lips. They’re wet, softly pressed together in an oval shape. So inviting, especially since the human is tilting towards him. And he’s also staring… at Kageyama.  _Woah_.

“W-welcome,” is all he can mutter back. Hinata’s brown eyes shine so brightly he inhales sharply. There’s a pause, before a devious smile appears suddenly. Kageyama actually catches it this time because he can’t stop focusing on those lips. 

“How about I give you something to show how grateful I am? And then you can be on your way?” Hinata smiles against the merman’s cheek, feeling so smooth. He doesn’t wait for answer; he’s too impatient now that he’s got a sneaking suspicion and–

Kageyama beats him to it. Lips hovering over a freckled cheek, then caressing up and down towards the red head’s neck and back up. He places a tender kiss on the corner of a surprised mouth.

Hinata glances at him, a fumbling mess. “You missed!”

Kageyama laughs, pulling him into his arms for another kiss, Hinata giggling against the widest smile he’s ever seen.

_If only he knew._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading! Check out my new blog @lilllieeh-writes
> 
> Hey now that this fic is basically finished here are some fun facts about it: 
> 
> 1) For the first half of this story, I didn't know how it was going to play out. But in the end I realized it should end with how it began. 
> 
> 2) I don't ever write this much for a story so I'm pretty proud of it, even though the world is explored very little and so is their pasts. I didn't mean for it to drag on this long, oops. 
> 
> 3) There were times when I literally would have to force myself to work on it, if only to feel some accomplishment by finishing it. 
> 
> 4) As you all know, I use too many commas when I write, so I counted them all. There are 561 commas total in this fic. Please help me. 
> 
> 5) I'll probably be writing oneshots for this au so yay.
> 
> 6) I have a blog for all my fics now. It’s called lilllieeh-writes. Please visit it because I have some news on there for all of you. Okay, thanks.


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